Congratulations to Dave Finch #66, First Place National Champion, SCCA GT2 driving his RAETECH Porsche 944 to the year 2000 win. Dave was followed by Jim Blakewell #2 driving a Porsche 914 who was the second place champion in GT2 ahead of several Porsche 911's. It's good to see that the Porsche 944 has what it takes to be competitive and win GT2. I do not have a picture of Dave's car; however, I do have some other 944 racers in action and some great racing history:

Ludwig Heimrath, the "Crazy Canadian" of Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame started racing for Porsche in the 1962 Formula 1 race in France. He made a stunning debut qualifying sixth in a RS60. He went on to race Can Am and Indy and raced every Porsche available but his pride and joy was the 944 and later the 968. "It is without doubt the best racing car ever made", he said flatly. "It is so balanced, so easy to drive very, fast".

A Porsche 944 won the inaugural IMSA Firehawk Grand Sport Championship in 1985 battling outnumbered against V8 powered cars. The champion that year was a Porsche driven by Walt Maas and Jon Milledge.

While Porsche was spending zillions of dollars going nowhere with Indy cars. Jeff Pruner #7 tied the 1990 IMSA Firehawk Grand Sport Championship with a Porsche 944. The small racing team from the Midwest US, Kelly Moss, gave Porsche racing it's bright victory in a car that was almost the same as the stock Porsche 944 found on the street. Other Kelly Moss Racing winning drivers included Bill Cooper #7, Nick Ham and Paul Tosi. Special thanks to John Vincent and Rich Moskalik, crew chiefs for Kelly Moss Racing Team.

In the IMSA Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship the 944 S2 had an outstanding year in 1990 and that continued into 1991 racing in the Grand Sports category for street stock automobiles. Drivers included Bob Akin, Fred Baker and Bruce Jenner. Porsche was the winner in the Grand Sports Manufacturers Championship in 1985, 1991, 1992 and 1994, the first time in history that any one model (the 944) had won a total of 37 races in the premier Grand Sports category.

Vic Elford, famous Porsche Werks Racing Driver won the Monte Carlo Rally, the Targa Florio, the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Nuburgring 1000km three times and he won them all driving Porsches. Vic wrote the book on Porsche High Performance Driving. Vic drove many 944's of different years and the 968 and stated that; "the 944(968) is a perfectly and beautifully balanced vehicle."

In June 1982 a new 944 soared home the winner at Nelson Ledges, Ohio, Endurance, 24 Hour, Race piloted by Road and Track and Car and Driver Magazine. Competing against Mustang prototypes. A year earlier Nelson Ledges was won by a 924. The 944 continued to be a favorite in SCCA Showroom Stock racing. Ken Williams captured the national title for Porsche in 1980 driving a 924. In 1984, also at the SCCA, Nelson Ledges, Endurance Race (the longest day) a 944 Turbo entered by Jim Busby, Rick Knoop and Freddy Baker, a Porsche dealer, eliminated all competition and finished in first place with a 42 lap advantage over the second place car which was a non Turbo 944 entered by a BFG engineer Bob Strange and Jamie and Rick Hurst. Third place was taken by a RX-7 piloted by John and Jeff Andretti. These 944's ran away from Camaros, Corvettes, Nissans, Saab Turbos and Maseratis.

Technodyne Racing campaigned #41 this silver 944 Turbo in the Sebring PCA Race on February 11-13, 2000. Technodyne wanted to do well after experiencing mechanical problems in 1999 just minutes from the end of the race. Chris finished 7th overall and second in the GT1R with several 911 Turbos and 996 GT3-R racecars competing and following.

Across the ocean the Porsche Club GB champion was Steve Kelvin #144, driving a white 1989 944S2 similar to one pictured above. He won eight class B wins and came in second three times out of twelve races. The championship was sponsored by B.F. Goodrich and this was the first time this series was not won by a Porsche 911. Steve made history when he won the championship again in 1990 driving a 944S2 Cabriolet.

Nick Wood # 31 charges his 1983 944 during his first race in the Tennessee Region SCCA. Nick still races his 944 today. The web author has helped Nick in calibrating his DME engine control unit for maximum power.

Bauer Racing's 944 raced competitively in the 1999 Speed Vision GT Championships. Peter Kitchak of Tonka Bay, MN was the second place champion driving his World Challenge Porsche 911.

1998 was Bauer Racing's first time in Florida and Bauer's #91 won First Place in GT2S at the 48 hours of Sebring.

Congratulations goes out to John Crosby #19 driving his white and black checkered 1989 944 Turbo S in the Porsche Club of America Class E series. John has won four in row. Winning first place at Sebring, TWS, Memphis and Road America during the 2001 races.

Above is a picture of the BFGoodrich Comp T/A / Porsche team at Daytona in 1982. The Porsche factory raced 944's successfully at Daytona for several years. Broadfoot Racing put a 944 on the starting grid of Daytona in 1999; ten years after the model left the showroom floor. This was a testament to the car's abilities. Despite spinning out during the race Broadfoot's #89 finished 11th in class at Daytona.

This is a picture of the B.F.Goodrich Comp T/A / Porsche team at Le Mans 24 hour Endurance Race during 1983.

The very first 944, a 944 GTP/R ran in the 1982 Le Mans 24-hour race. This car had the all new all alloy 944 2.5 litre engine with 16 valves and turbocharging she produced 420 bhp. It wore the number one on it's hood and was painted with the HUGO BOSS paint scheme, see below (also, see the 944 on my start page). This 944 ran trouble free and finished 7th overall, which was excellent for the event and the team of Juergen Barth and Walter Rohrl who raced the new 944. Since then racing the 944 has been a successful endeavor and continues to the present day.

944 #165 races at Mossport, Ontario, Canada in the year 2000 with the Upper Canada Region of the Porsche Owners Club of America.